Democrat; and I know how painful it must be to an honest, sincere man to
be urged by his party to the support of a measure which in his conscience
he believes to be wrong. You have had a severe struggle with yourself,
and you have determined not to swallow the wrong. Is it not just to
yourself that you should, in a few public speeches, state your reasons,
and thus justify yourself? I wish you would; and yet I say, don't do it,
if you think it will injure you. You may have given your word to vote for
Major Harris; and if so, of course you will stick to it. But allow me to
suggest that you should avoid speaking of this; for it probably would
induce some of your friends in like manner to cast their votes. You
understand. And now let me beg your pardon for obtruding this letter upon
you, to whom I have ever been opposed in politics. Had your party omitted
to make Nebraska a test of party fidelity, you probably would have been
the Democratic candidate for Congress in the district. You deserved it,
and I believe it would have been given you. In that case I should have
been quite happy that Nebraska was to be rebuked at all events. I still
should have voted for the Whig candidate; but I should have made no
speeches, written no letters; and you would have been elected by at least
a thousand majority.

Yours truly,
A. LINCOLN.




TO A. B. MOREAU.

SPRINGFIELD, September 7, 1854
A. B. MOREAU, ESQ.